Donn McClean's Horses To Follow: September 2nd to September 9th
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Before we dive in, some basic rules for a horses to follow list is to keep them in a tracker and on your radar for the next three runs, bearing in mind ideal conditions across variables like venue, ground, opposition and price are satisfactory to you as a punter. This column should help you build up a list that proves profitable under those circumstances, provides timely reminders to reduce repeated form study and assist with your enjoyment of a season be it National Hunt or Flat racing in the UK and Ireland and sometimes beyond.
Search For A Myth - Wexford, September 3rd 2022
Search For A Myth has had plenty of opportunities - she is zero for nine over hurdles now - but she is getting closer and could have won the two-mile handicap hurdle at Wexford last Saturday if the ball had hopped a little more kindly for her, and her turn may not be far away now. Held up early on, she made nice progress and travelled well as they raced around the home turn. She was just short of room on the run to the second last flight, with the result that Michael O'Sullivan had to sit before asking his mare for her effort. She got rolling on the run to the final flight, but she got in a little tight to that obstacle and had to recover her momentum again on the landing side, and while she didn't get up, she closed on Kellie's Dream all the way to the line, going down by just a neck in the end.
It can prove to be expensive, continuing to make excuses for maidens, but Robert Tyner's mare was unlucky to bump into a well-handicapped mare in Battle Away at Cork in August on her previous run, and she was at least a little unlucky here. The handicapper raised her by 3lb to a mark of 94, but that mark should be within range, and it means that she can remain in the 80-95 grade. She probably put up a career-best performance here in her first-time hood, and she should be winning one of these soon.
Azure Blue - York, September 4th 2022
Azure Blue only finished fourth in the three-year-olds' six-furlong handicap at York on Sunday, but she was only beaten a total of just over a length, and she did well to get as close as she did from her high draw. Slowly away from stall nine, she was settled behind the leaders on the near side. The ultimate winner, Lucky Man, led over on the far side, and he was tracked through the early stages of the race by the eventual runner-up Aphelios, as Azure Blue raced towards the rear, and closest to the stands rail. She picked up well when Connor Beasley asked her to, and she moved to the front on the near side, but she was on her own on the near side as Lucky Man and Aphelios duelled on the far side, away from her, and they were joined over there by Aleezdancer. They raced in a diagonal line, far side to near side, past the two-furlong marker, and Azure Blue was really the only one to break that line as she raced closest to the stands rail. She had the most running to do, furthest from the far-side runners. Her run flattened out a little close home, but she still kept on gamely.
It was a good run by Michael Dods' filly on her first run since she won a handicap at Newmarket in July. The handicapper raised her by 4lb for that win, but she proved here that she was well up to a mark of 89. Six furlongs is her trip, she can handle easy ground as well as good and fast ground and she will be of interest wherever she goes next.
Alexandroupolis - Galway, September 6th 2022
Alexandroupolis was impressive in winning the opening maiden at Galway on Tuesday on his racecourse debut. Settled in mid-division and along the inside rail early on by Wayne Lordan from his inside draw, he travelled well down the hill, but he still had five horses in front of him as they raced around the home turn. Lordan had to sit for a few strides as he moved off the inside rail and looked for a gap, and he switched back towards the inside as they straightened up for home, with the Camelot colt picking up really nicely when he got a gap. He stayed on strongly towards the far side up the hill to pull almost two lengths clear of his rivals by the time he got to the winning line, with his stable companion, Espionage, staying on well down the near side to snatch second place.
The market couldn't split the two Aidan O'Brien-trained runners, and Espionage did well to keep on as well as he did to take second place. He is interesting, too, and could be better over further, but nothing travelled as well as his stable companion through the race. Alexandroupolis is out of a half-sister to St Leger winner Kew Gardens, his grandmother is Moyglare Stud Stakes winner Chelsea Rose, and he put up a really nice performance on his racecourse debut here, defying his weakness in the market. He holds entries in the Beresford Stakes, in the Royal Lodge and in the Vertem Futurity Trophy. Those races are all over a mile, and he will be of interest if he lines up in any of them.
Dark Side - Cork, September 7th 2022
Dark Side put up a really encouraging performance on his racecourse debut to finish second to Imadpour in the seven-furlong maiden at Cork last Wednesday. Slowly away and last of the 11 runners early on, he was still second last when he came under a ride at the three-furlong marker. Switched towards the far side by Shane Crosse, he travelled better on the run to the two-furlong marker and stayed on well on the far side to take second place in front of Long Count, Pigeon House and Desert Haven.
The winner, Imadpour, had run well in defeat in both his previous races, most recently in finishing fourth behind Hans Andersen and Sunday's National Stakes winner Al Riffa in what is traditionally a very good maiden at The Curragh on Irish Oaks day, and Dark Side did well to get as close to him as he did. He probably wasn't advantaged by racing towards the far side, as the race developed towards the near side, and he showed signs of inexperience. He could come on appreciably for this. He handled the soft ground well, so he will be of interest as we move into the autumn, but, out of a half-sister to Youmzain and Creachadoir, he should handle faster conditions too.
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Novakai - Doncaster, September 8th 2022
Novakai did well to keep on as well as she did to finish second in the May Hill Stakes at Doncaster on Thursday. Fast away and prominent from early, up there with the fast pace, she came under a ride on the run to the two-furlong marker, but she responded well to pressure. She ceded the lead temporarily to Frankness, but ultimately she lasted in front for much longer than the two fillies who cut out the early running with her. There was a lot to like about the willing attitude that she displayed, and she only gave best to Polly Pott deep inside the final furlong, with the front two finishing well clear of their rivals.
The winner, Polly Pott, and the third-placed Perfect Prophet, both big outsiders, raced in the rear early on. The two fillies who shared the early pace with Novakai, Ferrari Queen and Frankness, both well-fancied fillies, faded to finish seventh and fifth, respectively. Novakai did well to finish a clear second, given that she raced up with the fast pace from early. Fifth in the Sweet Solera Stakes on her previous run, this was probably a career-best from Karl Burke's filly, on just her third run. She could improve again from this. Out of a Nathaniel mare who won over a mile and six furlongs, she saw out this mile well, and she could get further in time. In the shorter term, she could be an interesting outsider in the Fillies' Mile.
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